[insert organizational header]
[date]
[name of office or legislator the letter is being addressed to]
[address of the above]
Support for SB 1615 (Simitian) – The Ethnic Heritage and Recognition Act
Dear ___________________,
I am writing on behalf of _______________ to urge your support for Senate Bill 1615, the Ethnic
Heritage Respect and Recognition Act. This bill would make California the first state to adopt federal standards that allow multiracial individuals to identify with “one or more” racial or ethnic backgrounds on forms that ask for this information. SB 1615 would also establish standards for presenting data on California’s diverse population in a complete manner, as well as adopting federal standards that ensure multiracial people are counted during civil rights and other federal actions related to race.
Over 1.6 million Californians identified with more than one race during Census 2000, the largest total in the United States. This number represents 4.7% of the population, which almost twice the national average of 2.4%. Today one in six babies born in California are multiracial, and national census figures likely underestimate the true size of the population. In addition, multiracial people are one of the fastest growing populations in the United States, with significantly higher percentages of multiracial people under the age of 30 than the population at large.
This large and rapidly growing demographic has long been ignored despite the significant and unique challenges that multiracial people face. This includes challenges in the area of healthcare where multiracial people’s diverse heritage puts them at risk for unique difficulties in areas such as bone marrow transplant and other medical needs related to an individual’s racial and ethnic background. In addition multiracial people face challenges establishing a healthy racial and ethnic identity, challenges that are not met by educational, healthcare and other social institutions. The lack of support for multiracial people can lead to higher rates of depression, substance abuse, and other health problems.
Your support of Senate Bill 1615 is the first step in allowing California agencies to understand and address these needs by providing the racial and ethnic statistics necessary to identify and track the unique needs of multiracial Californians.
We strongly urge your support of Senate Bill 1615 and thank you for your consideration. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.
Sincerely,
[signature]
[name]
[contact information]
Please send organizational letters of support to:

Send to:
Senator Joe Simitian
State Capitol, Room 4062
Sacramento, CA 95814
Fax: (916) 323-4529
Senator Joe Dunn, Chair
Senate Judiciary Committee
State Capitol, Room 2187
Sacramento, CA 95814
Fax: (916) 445-8390
[insert organizational header]